Improvement in horse-boots



H. B. COOK.

v HORSE-BOOTS. No '177,9 91. Patented May 30,1876.

Witnesses Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIR AM B. COOK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE- BOOTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,991, dated May 30, 1876; application filed March 13, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM B. (3001;, of San Francisco city and county, State of Cali fornia, have invented a Horses Boot; and

I do hereby declare the following description and a'ccompanyingdrawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention withoutfurther invention or experiment.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved hoof or cuff boot, such as is used for protecting the hind feet of trottinghorses from the effects of forging or interfering.

The ordinary method of constructing this kind of boot, and conforming it to the shape and swell of the hoof, has been by cutting out one or more gores from the lower edge of' the boot, and drawing the edges together with stitches, so as to form a swell at the middle of the boot. The attachment to the hoof was effected by two straps and buckles sewed to the boot, one passinguaround the heel to keep it back, and the other was passed through openings between the hoof and shoe, and across underneath the bottom of the foot to keep the boot down.

Thismethod of construction is faulty in V the extreme-first, becauseof the difliculty in putting the boot on the foot of a horse, even on the most gentle animal. The openin g between hoof and shoe for the passage of the under strap being of the smallest size, the

operation of inserting a soft strap, especially straps often come off at the very time when the boot should be the firmest; besides, when the under strap is sufficiently tight to prevent all motion of the boot, it is objectionable as binding and restricting the natural play and spread of the foot, the contact of the strap with the frog causing a clogged and uncomfortable feeling, and eventually injuring the hoof.

To remedy all of these difficulties I slash the body of the boot at proper places by making a slit with a knife, as represented at b, to the front of the boot, to allow it to conform to the shape of the hoof, leaving the upper and lower edges intact.

By this means I not only simplify the construction, but greatly enhance its value as a reliable protector. But in exceptional cases, where it may be desired to open the'lower edge of the boot, (as in the old method,) I use a strip of metal, as at c, and metal rivets, for uniting the edges in place of stitches. I do away with the under strip altogether, and use in its place two or more metal clips, d d, bent at an angle, to conform to the shape of the hoof, one end of which issmoothly countersunk and securely riveted to the boot. The other end is merely inserted or hooked into the usual openings for the strap. 7

I thus avoid crossing the bottom of the foot with a strap, and secure a firm, reliable hold, obviating all danger of twisting, moving, chafing, or coming off, and-leave, at the same time, a natural and unfettered action to the foot.

The heel-strap f I retain, but attach it to the foot by means of metallic rivets, as at e, in place of stitches.

These several improvements (the resultsof experience and investigation) combine to form a novel and reliable article of manufacture;

I am aware that a single metal clip has heretofore been used for the purpose of fastening a weighted-toe boot to thefoot of a horse; but it was used in front or at the toe only, and would not accomplish what myopposite clips are used for. s

These several improvements in a horseboot are valuable and important, Whether they horse-hoot composed of the piece "of leather are all used in the manufacture of a boot, or A, slashed at b b, and provided with-side clips whether any one of them is used independent (1 d and a back strap, f, fastened with rivets of the other. v e e, as set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I HIE-AM BURT COOK. claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, Witnesses: is- GEO. H. STRONG,

As an improved article of manufacture, a O. M. RICHARDSON. 

